1: Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft flight decks and to handling the information that is used on aircraft flight decks and displayed on aircraft flight deck display systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to handling non-essential information from sources outside of the aircraft flight deck network for use on the aircraft flight deck during operation of the aircraft and controlling the manner in which the non-essential information is displayed on the flight deck.
2: Background
A flight deck is the area on an aircraft from which a pilot and other flight crew members control the aircraft. The flight deck is usually located near the front of an aircraft. The flight deck also may be referred to as the cockpit. In addition to a pilot, the flight crew on the flight deck during operation of the aircraft may include, for example, a copilot, a navigator, or other personnel or combinations of personnel.
The flight deck of an aircraft includes the instruments and controls that enable the flight crew to fly the aircraft. For example, the flight deck may include a number of displays. Various types of information may be displayed for use by the flight crew to operate the aircraft. For example, it is desirable that the information displayed on the aircraft flight deck includes information that may be required for use by the flight crew to operate the aircraft safely.
It is desirable that the information used by the flight crew on the aircraft flight deck is handled to ensure safe operation of the aircraft. For example, the information displayed on the aircraft flight deck may be controlled to ensure that the information displayed to the aircraft flight crew is both appropriate and accurate.
Control of the information used on the aircraft flight deck may be provided by separating the aircraft flight deck network from other data processing systems on the aircraft. This separation may be implemented by physical separation of the hardware used to implement the aircraft flight deck network from other data processing system hardware on the aircraft. For example, the aircraft flight deck network may be implemented as a local area network or other grouping of data processing resources that is physically separated from other data processing systems and networks on the aircraft. As another example, software may be used to separate the aircraft flight deck network from other aircraft network data processing systems.
The separation of the flight deck data processing network from the other aircraft network data processing systems allows the information used on the aircraft flight deck to be separated from the information used by other aircraft network data processing systems. For example, the information to be used on the aircraft flight deck may be stored in a database that is only accessible by the aircraft flight deck network during operation of the aircraft. For example, such a database may be part of the flight deck local area network that includes the flight deck display system.
The information used on the aircraft flight deck network may be further controlled by subjecting the flight deck network to a certification process. For example, information to be used on the aircraft flight deck network may be stored on a database that is accessible by the aircraft flight deck network. The flight deck network, including the database and flight deck display system, may be subject to the certification process. The certification process may be performed to verify that the information to be used on the flight deck network satisfies a number of requirements related to the appropriateness and accuracy of the information. Typically, the certification process may be conducted and granted by a regulatory authority. In some cases the certification process may be conducted by another entity.
Changes to the flight deck network, including changes for using information from new information sources or in new formats, typically may require recertification. Processes for certifying the components of the flight deck network may be time-consuming and costly. As a result, changes to the aircraft flight deck network may be delayed due to the time required for the certification process. In other cases, changes to the aircraft flight deck network may be delayed or not undertaken at all, in order to delay or avoid entirely the costs associated with the certification process.
Current methods for handling information used on aircraft flight decks that rely on certification processes and separating the flight deck network from other aircraft network data processing systems form a closed system. The inflexibility of such a system discourages system changes and, thus, may limit the information that is available to be used by the flight crew on the aircraft flight deck.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.